Where’s Cookie????

With only 12 days left of big game fishing left we had another busy week. with the way we have been making ice we will be crappie fishing well into april. At 20 below this morning she going to be a tougher day just slow and easy, don’t be in a hurry as my mentor cousin Pete taught me..
Again, it’s easy to blame the weather for the bite but sometimes it’s just the spot, the best depth has had the better fishing?
We had a huge cancelation for this coming weekend with two of our biggest houses open thursday friday saturday. North Dakota and Alaska. Jonny boy said if someone takes either house he will take them out on an elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie adventure while there here. Yesterday he did find the mother lode.
Kevin and Rollie were here for their annual trip this past weekend. They rent florida every year. They had a grand time on a grand lake and took home their limits. They have been coming for close to if not 20 years.
We teamed up with northwoods and bearpaw and offered a free night if you brought a kid or kids fishig. The first guy I picked it did not work out, so I ended going with a gentlemen named Floyde and his son of course I forgot his name.. They also had a grand time on a grand lake with the young man landing a few walleyes.
We had a nephew Bradly and his gal Mekenzie in Tennessee. They also had a grand time. Jonny boy took them on a crappie adventure where they landed 27 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. Wayne and his two buddies one from Nebraska I be leave. They were in Utah, they also caught fish taking home a couple limits. Plus Jonny
boy pointed them in the right direction to land on the mother lode with their cheatmaster 300 fish eliminator.
Kevin and Rollie were here for florida they have been coming for close to 13 years. They went home with their limit and plan on coming same dates next year. Connie and her family were in alaska they caught a little of everything perch walleye pike and 1 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie.
Rich in the cabin plus his son and brother used a couple houses as a day houses plus jonny took them and a couple staying in nevada out looking for the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. They found the motherload. Mathew and I drove out there but with the temps and wind we just stopped and said hi.
Our grandsons Jacob and Jason came up with a few friends and stayed in Texas. They did terrible so we moved them only to still not do that well. They did have a good time though.
Anthoney, Beth Coltan and Casey were in colorado for I be leave there third year. The first night was no good so we moved them to a new spot but the fishing was still tough for them.
Texas had Mark and his buddy in texas after we moved it again they caught 18 walleyes and a pike.
Montana had 2 phones go down Dusty was able to get one of the two back. Florida had Jesie and Austin he was so excited to be back again. he caught his biggest fish ever a 28 inch pike. plus they caught walleye and the second night she said the rattle wheels went off every 2 hours. we then had Greg and his crew in montana where they also did well.
We did get our hoodies in its best to call if you want one we have a limited amount of pink, orange and red they are 60.00
Its been a very busy week here so I have lost track of all the fishing reports. My short time memory is still bothering me. Back has its days but I be leave its better. I’ ve lifted a few generators and a couple gas cans where I kinda had no choice.
As that Old timer Dave Said to me Its A Grand lake and it owes me nothing

We have had a few last minute cancellations for two of our best houses: North Dakota & Alaska (Ice Castle). All come standard with augured holes, heating & generator! Only two weeks remain for the game fish season! If you act now, we will throw in a free GUIDED trip for the elusive yet highly catchable Red Lake crappie ($200 per person value)! Sitting on the couch is easy, you can’t catch fish if you aren’t on the grand lake that owes us nothing! Call Cookie now at 218-556-6197

Come out and make memories that will last a lifetime!

This is from 10 years ago March 15th 2015
Good morning the story continues. Jacob my grandson caught his first upper red lake crappie as well as my daughter missy. Old Minnesota was on a new spot but never turned on like I had hoped. Jakes move over by Joel paid off big time and they all caught the elusive yet catchable upper red lake crappies into the evening until they went to bed. Jake had his magical moment at 5 30 am when he started catching them as fast as he could get his minnow down. I think he said he caught 17 in a row, since he was releasing them all it well could of been the same fish over and over? Sunday afternoon I moved old Minnesota one more time so Marty,Kellie and I could spend the night out there for the final night. We had a great toco dinner, caught just a couple elusive upper red lake crappies and had a couple of drinks as we reminisced about such a great season on such a grand lake. We stayed up way to late waiting for the mother load and Marty headed over to florida around 3 am. Marty started catching fish as soon as he walked into the house and never went to bed. I set up my bobber line and my dangler with the line going through a can it would fall into the hole and wake me up. I woke up at 5 am 2 hours later and both cans were floating in the holes. I grabbed the cans re lized my bobber was gone and started reeling it in and had a fish on. I bounced the fish off the bottom of the ice and snagged the lure a small rattle flyer on the bottom of the ice. I set that rod down and reeled in the other line with no minnow. I put on a minnow dropped it down and a fish came charging up. Yes it was a elusive upper red lake crappie. As I was removing the hook there was another big red line down there. I re baited and sent it down and Bam here came another. 2 in a row and another red line on the vex at the bottom. Now I was excited and ran my minnow down and wham again another as that fish was clearing the hole another would fill in the void. I said honey wake up and caught another, and another and another, I was not even counting as it was one after the other as fast as I could get the line down . Then I lost a fish with my blue phelps jig. The vex was still showing fish down there so I grabbed the hammers rod and reel with a blood line demon put on a minnow and ran it down and wham another fish. The next one was my big one and when I landed it I said honey wake up dangling my trophy in front of her. She set up, rubbed her eyes and turned on her vex and said where’s my rod there’s one down there. I handed her rod all baited up and she dropped it down, now I had no rod and reel set up. I started to try and un hook my flyer with my back to her when she said Crappie. I grabbed the fish threw it in the cooler as we wanted to take a couple home for dinner Tuesday night. I re baited her line and thought oh the rattle wheel it has waxies on it . I rolled it up, peeled off the waxies and put on a minnow as I ran the line down the hammer again said crappie. I dropped the line went to land her fish and the rattle wheel just kept ringing as a crappie hit it on the way down. I landed that crappie threw it in the cooler. By then the hammer had re baited and had another fish on. I grabbed her fish re baited the rattle wheel and ran it down while my sweetheart caught another and another. I landed another one on the rattle wheel as she kept catching fish . Then just like that they were gone. She caught atleast 7 in a row and I have no idea how many I caught. All I can say is Wow what a treat, Truly amazing ,all that hard work looking for the mother load for the houses and it happens the last morning old Minnesota and Florida would be on the lake.. It was bitter sweet as we packed up as I had to go do chores at the farm. Marty stayed out on the lake and cleaned up florida for the move home then went and fished in old Minnesota where he landed 5 more elusive upper red lake crappie’s during the day while I was gone. We ended up keeping 11 fish for a fish fry last night for Ole, Marty, the hammer and I. I cooked up 6 fish 12 fillets ,kept my trophy and Marty is taking two home and I have 3 fish in the freezer for another dinner for Kellie and I

Share this:

I haven’t fished Upper Red in years but I love reading your fishing reports.

By far the best, most informative and entertaining fishing reports from any lake or any website.

The cheatmaster 300 fish eliminator – i love it.

Thanks Cookie.

I will never forget that weekend. Those were the days.

With just 6 more nights for keeping big game fish I may have to see if I can land a couple to save for walleye dinner this April. we have been quite busy battling mother nature. The fleet has been towed this way that way up down over etc. Our grandson Mathew has been helping grampa with any lifting
shoveling etc. he is learning a few hard knocks along the way. Jinxei Dave broke my lite number 2 shovel, so I told him make sure and bring me a new one.
The fishing has again been up and down with the better walleye bite just under 10 feet. I had the treat of having my brother here for a few nights with our niece Amanda and My sister bonzo as I call her. We had a lot of great laughs, caught a few fish, no elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies this time which I was quite surprised as the house was put into a fishy area. We did go down to jrs for a fantastic fish fry as always. I got a chance to say hi to Adam.
Jimmy was in california and his parents were in florida. they did not do to well but did manage to take a couple fish home.
We offered a free outdoor elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie trip to try and rent alaska the last minute Chris and his gal took us up and were not disappointed as Jonny boy and trusty dusty came through finding the mother lode for a few of our guest that were willing too battle mother nature.
Florida had Brian and Becky they took home 7 keeper walleyes. They said they will be back.
Dave and his Family Were in was in Montana when I stopped too visit I timed it just right has they had a pile of fish to eat. They were so good with just a little bite to the batter cooked to a golden perfection.
Andy the owner of texas was also here. They joined Jonny and Dusty in the brutal elements and also were rewarded with a nice bunch of fish to take home. Elvis the owner of Tennessee was here again. He caught quite a few walleyes over but also managed to get 4 yes 4 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies out of the house..
Nevada had jake and his two buddies. Jake did go with the crew and also managed to take home a couple elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. Remember some is 3 or 4 a couple are 8 to 14 and a few are close to 20.Not sure why but when you ask a fishermen how many they caught they always say a couple like it was 2 or a few like it was 3? Most times if the houses do not do well, they always offer you, their minnows? but if they do well, they either chuck them or take them home? Natalie and the girls spent part of the day in Colorado where I think they took home 4.
Tim and his buddy were in california. Tim tagged into a big big something. He said it was just like it was snagged on the bottom, the same thing has happened to me twice over the years both times my bobber went down when I set the hook it was like a log that would not budge. I imagine a big sturgeon, Pike just no idea.
We had Josh and his daughters in Utah both the girls got to catch their first ever walleye on a grand lake that owes us nothing.
Well, it’s been quite some time that I’ve mentioned our fleet. Rusty trusty has been our work horse since the red baron broke the transfer case. I sure do miss driving that beast. Due to my surgery, I’ve only driven blue thunder on the lake once. Just as I was ready to start running her, she may have broken a timing chain. The boys are going to check. Black beauty has only had 1rst second and reverse. Which is fine for a lake truck. The little red trail blazer was or is going to be my ice vehicle this year but the flapper in the gas tank needs to be addressed as she only takes 25 cents of gas at a time.
Mathew and I have also drug out a couple of my old sleds to try and get running. We did get the 440 running for a second its beengreat bonding with him .I plan on picking up a fuel pump next to see if we can keep her running. I told him once he gets good sledding experience, I will also give him my old ultra The Rocket.
Old minnesota is still open for the weekend. If we do not get it occupied maybe me, The hammer and Mathew will spend a night or two out there this coming weekend. Its time to check the fluids and make the rounds the boys are out moving a few houses out to the crappie grounds. As every year when most are counting down the days our fleet will still be out well in to march we still have plenty of dates available to go after the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie cookie 218 556 6197
Modify message